TEACHING AND LEARNING AT SFU

2012 UpdateJon Driver

Vice-President, Academic

Looking back

• 2010–2013 Academic Plan emphasizes high-quality student experience and the role of teaching and learning

• Highlights– Diversify pedagogy– Develop learning outcomes– Link to research– Encourage experiential learning

What have we done so far?

• Released final report by Task Force on Teaching and Learning

• Began restructuring Teaching and Learning Centre• Initiated research grants in teaching practice• Produced preliminary report on experiential learning• Worked with VPR to increase undergraduate research

support• Expanded Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program

Pressures

• Caps on funded enrollments and tuition increases• Reaching capacity for international undergraduates• Questions regarding value of undergraduate education• More choice in post-secondary education in BC• Accreditation• Results from student surveys

What’s next?

• 2013–2016 Academic Plan consultation• Implementation of new initiatives:

1. Accreditation and learning outcomes2. Teaching and course evaluations3. Learning management systems (WebCT) review4. English as an additional language initiative5. Experiential learning6. Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program7. Classroom upgrades and virtual campus8. Teaching and Learning Centre programs

Teaching and learning and accreditation• Why accreditation?

– External assessment of adherence to best-practice standards will increase accountability to stakeholders

– Process will benefit students by establishing clearer benchmarks/standards for assessing learning outcomes

• Relevance– Accreditation requires regular monitoring, assessment, and evaluation of the

education students receive– Learning Outcomes and Assessment approach provides formal process for ongoing

evaluation and improvement of programs, enabling joint work by faculty, students, and administrators to advance SFU’s mission

• Current status• SFU is currently an “applicant,” soon to be a “candidate”; accreditation in 2015

Learning outcomes and assessment (LOA) approach• Aim of LOA approach is to improve student learning experience by

clarifying purpose of courses and programs• Seeks to increase accountability, contribute to curriculum review and

improvement• Guided by LOA Working Group (Paul Budra, Chair)• Terms of reference:

– Draft principles to guide establishment of LOA (for Senate discussion)– Indentify academic units now using LOA approach– Review best practices for adopting LOA– Recommend best approach and timeframe for LOA implementation across curriculum– Identify ways to support faculty in use of LOA practices

• Working Group will report to VPA by end of summer 2012

Teaching and Course Evaluation (TCE) Project• Primary goals of project are to support teaching and enhance student

learning through effective and responsible use of evaluation data and information at SFU

• Project will recommend a replacement for SFU’s TCE form on the basis of– The growing body of research on effective, appropriate, and responsible use of

student evaluation of teaching– Feedback from SFU community– Consultation with other institutions

• Objectives include– Replacing SFU’s instrument and processes for student evaluation of instructors

and courses– Engaging SFU community throughout project– Developing a best-practices guide on interpretation and use of data

TCE consultations and schedule

• Opportunities will include– Open-forum discussion sessions on each campus– Meetings at the Faculty and/or departmental level– Focus groups– Input via social media– Surveys

• Detailed project schedule is under development• If a decision is made to implement an online evaluation

system, more time will be needed to plan and coordinate

WebCT Replacement Project

• Background: SFU has used WebCT as its institutional learning management system since 2001. In December 2012 Blackboard Inc., the provider of WebCT, will end maintenance support

• Project objectives:– Find a solution for the majority of faculty, staff, and student

users to replace essential functionality and position SFU to take advantage of emerging trends

– Ensure that all constituents are prepared for the transition– Ensure that ongoing maintenance and support for the

implemented solution are adequate and effective

WebCT consultations – Overview

• Individual consultations, focus groups, and open forums have been designed to achieve qualitative and practical understanding of– What people want to do– What they are actually doing and how– What they believe their support needs to be

• Themes: architecture, administrative/managerial and teaching and learning, learner engagement, learner-driven, integration

• Phase 1: Evaluation (September 2011 to May 2012)– Complete one-on-one interviews with faculty, students, and staff– Complete analysis of student and TSSU surveys– Test and evaluate short-listed products– Finalize needs analysis/functional requirements document– Prepare cost estimates

WebCT project plan – Overview

• Phase 2: Selection (June to November 2012)– Procurement process– Plan implementation phase (including technical and support

resources, budget, hardware procurement if required, major steps)• Phase 3: Implementation (from December 2012; launch

summer 2013)– Detailed implementation planning– Implementation of new system– Training and change management– Implementation of support infrastructure (technical and functional)– Retirement of WebCT Vista

English as an additional language (EAL) initiative – Review and follow-up• From September 2010 to June 2011, committee reviewed EAL issues

at SFU, including admissions, supports, and services to EAL students• Proportion of EAL students at SFU is increasing. Are they prepared for

successful study? What are the impacts of a multilingual classroom on teaching and learning? Is SFU providing sufficient support?

• Report and recommendations sent to Senate in December 2011• Report and VPA proposals for next steps posted for public comment

until February 15, 2012 (ealrpt@sfu.ca)• Next: Steering committee for improved coordination and ongoing

development of services. How can SFU take better advantage of our multicultural strengths?

Experiential Education (EE) Project

• Surveying all SFU Faculties to identify credit-bearing EE courses (undergrad and grad)

• Began with F.aculty of Environment and FASS; now working with all other Faculties

• Definition of experiential education: the strategic, active engagement of students in opportunities to learn through doing, and reflection on those activities, which empowers students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical endeavours in a multitude of settings, inside and outside of the classroom

• 1500+ courses with EE elements identified, engaging in six broad practices: reflection, field-based, creative-based, community-based, directed studies, collaborative

• Growing culture of EE curriculum at SFU, building on foundation of long-established co-op program

• Results will be used to improve support to faculty, identify EE opportunities for students, and continue to grow EE at SFU

Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue• Expanding to include

– Existing university-wide model– City Studio: collaboration with six post-secondary

institutions and municipalities (currently City of Vancouver)– Capstone courses within departments/Faculties– Honeycomb: faculty retreat, Interdisciplinary Learning and

Collaboration (apply by March 2, 2012)

Physical and audiovisual (AV) renovations of classrooms• 2010–2011: $280K for AV in Burnaby classrooms

– Basic AV installed in 31 AQ5000 rooms, six AQ4000 rooms, Mall Theatre; lecture hall audio stabilized

• 2011–2012: $2.04M for renovations and AV– AV in 25 HC rooms, four WW rooms, 45 BBY rooms, Images– Renovations to AQ5000, EDU 7618

• 2012–2013: $2.4M for renovations and AV– Renovations and AV in 13 RCB rooms, five old-FIC rooms,

Images ventilation, AQ3149-50, SSCB 9200-201

Virtual campus infrastructure – Year 1 pilot• Objective: Develop and implement five pilots of virtual delivery models

– Incorporate current technologies (video conferencing, teleconferencing, etc.) to ensure optimal benefit in a teaching and learning or other theme situation, supporting information sharing and collaboration

• Examples: – Distributed grad seminar (EDUC)– Multi-campus undergrad course (FCAT)– To-the-desktop lifelong learning (LL)– Virtual library research services (Library)– Multi-campus committee meetings (VPA)

• Aim is to have pilots adopted by interested parties beyond pilot phase• Four additional models to be piloted in 2013–2014

Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) –2011 overview• Immersion of Educational Consultants in Faculties with short-

and longer-term goals and initiatives – appreciation of Deans, Associate Deans, faculty members, and educational staff for their support and involvement

• Launch of new initiatives (programming foci); faculty-only ISW; piloting of new learning technology and communications roles; conversations on teaching; recognition of Teaching Excellence award recipients; T&L News, etc.

• Improved communications, human resources processes, fiscal responsibility, and permanent directorship – thanks to Lifelong Learning

• Return to Office of the VPA to better support Academic Plan and serve Faculties in development of discipline-specific goals

• Development and funding of small and large research projects in collaboration with Institute for the Study of Teaching and Learning in the Disciplines

Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) – 2012 preview• Completion of strategic plan• Expected completion of reorganization and restructuring by fall 2012• Piloting of Faculty Associates program to second faculty members to work with

TLC on programs of broader interest (e.g., faculty mentorship, teaching dossiers, university teaching and learning program for faculty, communities of practice)

• Further recognition of teaching excellence• Reinstatement of Symposium on Teaching and Learning and Course Design

Workshop for Faculty• Significant improvements to learning technology consultation and support• Increased responsiveness to and anticipation of institutional directions; Faculty

priorities in communities of practice; synergies between teaching, learning, and research; and academic, professional, and curriculum development

• Input on all initiatives will be sought and welcomed